Spinning and twisting ring



March 1952 G. F. ALBRECHT SPINNING AND TWISTING RING Filed Aug. 16, 1950 Patented Mar. 4, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPINNING AND TWISTING RING George F. Albrecht, Saco, Maine Application August 16, 1950, Serial No. 179,797

This invention pertains to spinning and twisting rings such as are employed in ring-spinning and similar frames in the production of textile yarn or thread and relates more especially to a ring assembly of the self-lubricating type wherein the traveler guiding annulus is of porous, oilabsorbent material, for example as disclosed in my prior Patent No. 2,084,756 dated June 22, 1937. In my later Patent No. 2,502,116, dated March 28, 1950, I have shown such a porous oil-absorbent ring mounted in a support or holder shaped to provide an annular oil reservoir designed to furnish a continuous supply of oil to the porous ring. This arrangement is highly efficient and makes hand oiling of the ring wholly unnecessary. However, because the ring is thus better lubricated than by hand oiling, it has been found that when a broken yarn end (yarn breaks being a common occurrence in the spinning operation) contacts the inner surface of the traveler guiding ring (as the broken end may do before the frame tender observes and pieces up the broken yarn) it absorbs oil and dust from the inner surface of the ring and transfers this oil or discoloration to the yarn on the bobbin so that the yarn on the bobbin can no longer be classed as a first grade product.

The present invention has for an object the prevention of oily or dirty yarn when using an oil-absorbent traveler guiding ring such as above referred to. A further object is to provide an improved ring assembly wherein the traveler guiding ring is of oil-absorbent material but has associated therewith a shield or guard which is operative to prevent contact of a yarn end with the oily surface of the ring. A further object is to provide a ring assembly wherein a porous, oilabsorbent ring is constantly fed with oil from a reservoir and wherein the inner surface of the oil-absorbent ring, below its traveler-contacting portion, is lined with material which is not oilabsorbent. A further object is to provide a ring assembly wherein a porous, oil-absorbent ring is closely confined between concentric walls of an oil-impervious holder or support, the inner wall, at least, of said support being of an organic material which conveys oil by capillary action at a relatively slow rate as compared with brass, for example. A further object is to provide a ring assembly wherein an oil-absorbent ring is mounted in an annular holder of oil-impervious material, the opposed surfaces of the ring and holder being shaped to define an annular oil reservoir and having means accessible from the outer side of the ring for delivering oil to the reservoir. A further object is to provide a ring assembly in which a traveler-guiding ring is mounted in a holder of oil-impervious material and has associated therewith an annular shield or guide disposed within the holder and spaced from the 17 Claims. (Cl. 57-120) traveler-guiding ring to prevent contact of a broken yarn end with the lubricated surface of the ring. Other and further objects and advantages Of the invention will be pointed out in the following more detailed description and by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a plan view of a ring assembly embodying the present invention, the assembly being shown mounted upon the top rail of a spinning frame, said top rail being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, to larger scale, of the ring assembly of Fig. 1, shown separate from the rail;

Fig. 3 is a diametrical section, to still larger scale, substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 but omitting the ring rail;

Fig. 4 is a diametrical section of the travelerguiding ring alone;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary radial section through the traveler guiding ring and a support therefor in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but illustrating a further modification; and

Fig. '7 is another fragmentary radial section similar to Fig. 5 but illustrating a still further modification.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral [0 indicates a portion of the ring rail of aspinning or twisting frame of conventional type, this ring rail supporting the novel ring assembly of the present invention. This ring assembly comprises the supporting annulus or holder H and the traveler guiding annulus or ring I2. In accordance with a preferred construction, the traveler guiding ring [2 is of the oil-absorbent type, for example such as disclosed in my above-named patents. Thus, this ring I 2 consists throughout of a material which is hard and durable enough to withstand the wear of the moving traveler and which is capable of taking and maintaining a visually smooth and even polished surface finish so as to reduce the friction between it and the traveler to a minimum. On the other hand, the traveler guiding ring element I2 is porous, comprising throughout its entire substance a multitude of minute capillary canals and cavities so small as to be visible only with the assistance of a microscope and which are distributed throughout the material with substantial uniformity. This ring may be of any suitable substance, having the above characteristics. For instance it may be one of the synthetic resins rendered suitably porous in the final moulding operation, by procedures known to those skilled in the art. At present, however, it appears that certain metallic compositions or alloys are preferable, for instance compositions prepared from powdered metal, iron, copper, etc., together with graphite, and highly compressed and sintered. Such an alloy may, for example, be prepared by incorporating 90 parts by weight of copper and parts of tin with 6 parts of graphite and 2 parts of salicylic acid, all ma very finely divided state, the ingredients being thoroughly mixed and then briquetted under high pressure to produce a ring of substantially the desired dimensions. The briquetting pressure is desirably; of the order of 75,000 pounds per square inch. After briquetting the rings are sintered in a non-oxidizing atmosphere for approximately three hours at a temperature of the order of 1425 F. After removal from the sintering boxes, the rings are surfaced and sized, for example by the use of concentric arbor anddie members which squeeze and reduce the material of the ring to substantially the final desired dimensions.

The result of this procedure is to provide a ring which in its'entirety'is porous and capable of slowly transmitting a lubricating as oil' from one point to another. The microscopic structure of the ring may be likened to that of a fine sponge;and comprises a multitude of minute cells or canals'generally communicating with one another and having walls of a bronze-like alloy. The cells which are exposed at the outer surface of the ring are in most instances open at such outer surface, although the ring is superficially solid,'and except under the microscope, its surface shows no indication of these open cells or pores.

The ring thus devised acts as a capillary barrier, when interposed in the path of fluid, for example lubricating oil,,c'utting down the velocity of new to a' rate'which, within wide limits, is :3

substantially independent of the fluid pressure head so that so l'ongas fluid is supplied to one side of this porous barrier, the rate of delivery from one side to the other will be substantially uniform, regardless'of fluctuations in the supply head.

The two ann'uli are arranged'in concentric relation, the traveler guiding ring l2 being mounted upon the supporting annulus or holder H, the latterhaving slotted ears or lugs L (Fig. 1) which receive screws S by means of which the ring assembly is attached to the ring rail l0.

Referring particularly to' Fig. 4, the traveler guiding ring or annulus l2 comprises a body portion' 'l3'having a cylindrical inner surface 14, a cylindrical outer surface l5 concentric with the surface l4, a fiat bottom surface I6 and a T- shaped upper portion or head I! having'inner and outer guiding surfaces l8 and IQ for guiding a traveler of C-shape such as illustrated in.

Fig. 3. Preferably, to reduce weight and cost, the upper portion of the body of this ring is reduced in radial thickness as shown at 20, the configuration of the outer surface of the ring preferably being such as to provide a horizontal face while its lower, outer edge is beveled or recessed as shown at 2 I.

The supporting annulus II, as shown more particularly in Fig. 3, is of sheet material, for example metal and of substantially U-shape in radial section, comprising the outer vertical wall 22, the inner vertical wall 23 concentric with the outer wall and the substantially horizontal bottom wall 24, the walls 22 and 23 being so spaced apart radially as to provide a channel designed to receive the body portion of the traveler guiding ring with an oil-tight, press fit. The'inner surface I4 of the ring 12 fits tightly against the inner surface of the'wall 23 of the'supportin annulus and the outer cylindrical surface [5 medium such 4 of the ring 12 fits snugly against the inner surface of the outer wall 22 of the supporting annulus. When the parts are assembled the flat bottom surface I6 of' the traveler guiding ring rests firmly against the 'bottom"24 "of the supporting annulus. When thus assembled the recess 2i at the outer lower corner of the traveler guiding ring cooperates with the walls 22 and 24 of the supporting annulus to form an annulus oil-receiving channel 25 (Fig. 3) which is enclosed at all sides so as to exclude dust and lint. and so as to prevent any possibility of entrance of abroken yarn end into the body of oil in said channel.

Preferably the supporting annulus II is provided with an integral, outstanding boss 28 which is hollow to provide a reservoir B (Fig. 3) for the reception of a supply of; lubricant, A hinged cover 21 normally forms a closure for the reservoir R. The wall 22 of the supporting annulus has an opening 28 (Fig. 3) through which lubricant from the reservoir R may pass into the channel 25. With this arrangement; the oil supply to the ring 52 is automatic; the oil for lubricating is easily placed in the reservoir which is at the exterior of the ring assembly; and oil from the reservoir flows inwardly from the reservoir to the channel 25. The upper edges 29 and 30 of the walls 22 and 24 are preferably at substantially the same level, the edge 30 beinga sufficient distance below the guiding surface 18 to provide clearance for the; traveler C. However, the inner wall 23 forms a lining for the oil-absorbent traveler guiding ring and since the wall 23 is of oil-impervious material it prevents oil from exuding to the interior of the ring assembly so that broken yarn ends, extending down into the interior of the ring assembly, do not come into direct contact with the oil-absorbent traveler guiding ring.

While the supporting annulus may, as'above described, be of metal, it is found that certain other materials have especially appropriate characteristics for this particular use, that is to say, to act as a shield between the, oil-absorbent ring and the broken yarn ends. Thus, for example, it has been found'that certain synthetic resins which are unaffected by the lubricating oil and which are not subject to atmospheric corrosion are less prone to convey oilby capillary action than are thecommoner metals. Thus, such a plastic, when employed in the guard element of the interior of the ring assembly, appears to inhibit rapid capillary travel of oil from the oil-absorbent ring downwardly over then}:- per edge 30 to the interior surface of the wall 23. Among the plastics appropriate for the purpose may be mentioned polystyrene; acrylic'acid polymers; and vinyl ester copolymers, characterized by toughness, resilience and 'shock resistance; resistance to corrosion, and which are hard and shape retaining at normal temperatures. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 5' the supporting annulus is shown as a casting H having the substantially horizontal upper surface 30 which forms a support for the lower surface 16 of the travelerguiding ring. "In this arrangement the traveler-guiding ring is not provided with the recess 2| at'its lower outer edge but the upper face 30 of the supporting annulus II is provided with a groove 33 which, when the parts are assembled, provides the annular channel for lubricant. The outer edgeof the horidrical wall 3| of such internal diameter that when the parts are assembled the outer surface I5 of the traveler-guiding assembly forms a leaktight press fit with the wall 3|. To prevent leakage between the lower surface of the travelerguiding assembly and the surface 30 of the supporting annulus, suitable cement 32 may be interposed between these parts before assembling. If the parts are of metal, this cement may be in the nature of solderor other means for providing a molecular union.

In this arrangement the yarn protecting liner is an independent cylindrical ring 34 which fits snugly within the traveler guiding ring, for example with a press fit, or it may be secured by means of cement or equivalent material. Preferably this guard ring 34 is of a synthetic resin having the characteristics above referred to.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 6 the supporting annulus ll is a molded body of material, for example synthetic plastic, shaped to provide the outer cylindrical wall 35 and the inner cylindrical wall 36 which are spaced apart to provide a channel in which the body portion of the traveler guiding ring is assembled with a press fit or other provision to prevent oil leakage between the parts. In this arrangement the traveler guiding ring is shown as having a recess which, in association with the supporting annulus, provides the annular oil channel 25. In this arrangement the upper edge of the wall 35 is substantially flush with the horizontal surface 20 of the traveler guiding ring, while the upper edge 3'1 of the inner wall 36 extends up to a point such as to provide just sufiicient clearance for the traveler as the latter revolves about the ring. In this arrangement, wherein the entire supporting annulus is of a synthetic resin, the impervious inner wall 36 constitutes a guard to prevent contact of the yarn end with the oilabsorbent guiding ring.

In the arrangement of Fig. '7, the supporting annulus is in general like that shown in Fig. 3, being of sheet metal and comprising the outer cylindrical wall 38, the inner cylindrical wall 39 and the horizontal bottom wall 40, the walls 38 and 39 being spaced to permit the body portion of the traveler guiding ring to be entered between them with an oil-tight fit. In this arrangement the upper margin of the wall 38 is bent inwardly as shown at Al, to overlie the horizontal face 20 of the traveler guiding ring, thus holding the parts in permanently assembled relation. In this arrangement the guard for preventing contact of the yarn end with the traveler guiding ring consists of an independent member, preferably of synthetic resin, having the characteristics above described and including the cylindrical portion 42, of such depth that its upper edge 43 lies substantially in the horizontal plane of the upper edge of the head portion I1 of the traveler guiding ring. This guard member also comprises the outwardly directed horizontal flange M whose outer edge fits snugly against the inner surface of the wall 39 of the supporting annulus. With this arrangement the part 42 constitutes the guard. It is spaced radially inward from the wall 39, and since it extends throughout the entire vertical height of the ring assembly it is very effective inpreventing contact of the yarn end with any oil-impregnated or oil-coated portion of the ring assembly.

While certain desirable embodiments of the invention have herein been illustrated and described by way of example, it is to be understood that the invention is broadly inclusive of any and all modifications falling within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A spinning ring assembly comprising two coaxial annuli, one of said annuli being a traveler guiding ring of oil-absorbent material and the anda reservoir for lubricant at the exterior of the supporting annulus, a passage leading from the reservoir through the outer wall of the supporting annulus to said annular channel.

2. A spinning ring assembly according to claim 1, further characterized in that the supporting annulus is of sheet material and substantially U- shaped in radial section, its outer and inner concentric walls being of substantially the same height, the bottom surface of the traveler guiding ring being substantially flat and seating upon the bottom of the channel in the supporting ring.

3. A spinning ring assembly comprising two coaxial annuli, one of said annuli being a' traveler guiding ring of the oil-absorbent type and the other annulus being a supporting ring of oil-impervious material, the traveler guiding ring comprising a body portion having inner and outer concentric cylindrical surfaces and an annular bottom surface, opposed surfaces of the supporting annulus and traveler-guiding ring being shaped to provide an annular, concealed channel for the reception of lubricant, the supporting annulus having an annular upstanding wall which contacts said outer cylindrical surface of the traveler guiding ring with an oiltight fit, the supporting annulus having a passage leading from its exterior to said channel for delivering lubricant to said channel, and a liner ring of oil-impervious material arranged within and concentric with said inner cylindrical surface of the traveler guiding ring and which is operative to prevent contact of yarn with the oil-absorbent traveler guiding ring.

4. A spinning ring assembly according to claim 3, further characterized in that the liner element is of an organic material which is non-absorbent of oil and substantially unalfected by exposure to lubricating media or atmospheric air.

5. A spinning ring assembly according to claim 3, further characterized in that the liner element is a synthetic resin which is hard, tough, and shape-retaining, and which is not affected by atmospheric moisture or gases.

6. A spinning ring assembly according to claim 3, further characterized in that the lining element is integral with the supporting annulus.

7. A spinning ring assembly according to claim 3, further characterized in that the lining element is integral with the supporting annulus and together with the upright wall of the latter defines an annular channel, and body portion of the traveler guiding ring seating in said channel with a press fit between said wall and the liner element.

8. A spinning ring assembly as set forth in eg-use, 193

:7 'claim' 3, further-"characterized iii-that the liner within which the body" of -the travelenguiding element is integral-with the supporting annulus annulus fits' snugly, the outer (if-said cylindrical and together with the upstanding wallof the latwa-llshaving-a-n inwardly directed 'flange' which ter defines an annular channel, the body portion overlaps the body portion-of the trav'elerguiding "of the traveler-"guiding ring 'fi'tting leak-tight 'annulusand' permanently keeps-the holder' and --within saidchann'elgthe body portion of'the "annulus in assembled relation, and an annular traveler guiding ring' ha'ving a rece'ss'at' thein- 'cylindric'al shield of organic material concentric ter'sec tion of its bottom surface and "its 'o'uter with and spaced radially inwardly from theinner cylindrical wallto for-m the annular oil-receiv- *wall of the holder,-said shield reaching up subingchannel. 10 stantially to the plane of the upper' edge cfthe 99A spinning ringassembly according -to'-claim 'traveler guiding annulus,"'theshield having a l 3, further characteriz dm' that the: liner is -radial ilange whichcontacts and is secured to spaced-inwardly from the =inner"su'rface of the the' iriner surface of the inner -wall'of theholder. 1 body l portion of the 'traveler i guiding annulus 15. A sp n ring ass m y mpr s n *a and eXtendsup-substantially "to-the plane of-the "travelerguiding ring of the oil absorbent type, --uppe1' edge of'the tr'aveler guiding annulus. said ring ha'vinga body portion provided with 10. A ring assembly as set forth in claim 3, inner and outer concentric,cylindrical surfaces furthercharacterized in that the-liner is suband having a substantially flat annular bottom stantia-lly L-shaped in' radial sectioncomprising surface, 'oil impervious ann'ular'wall' elements a horizontal fiange and a cylindrical-wall, the snugly contacting the inner-and outer cylindrical outer'edge'of the flange engaging and being fixed surfaces respectively of the traveler guiding ring,

a to -the supporting annulus and the cylindrical the outer at' least of said annular wall elements portion of the liner being spaced from the inner beinginte'gral with a part which contacts-the surface of'the travelervguiding annulus. bottom-surface-of the traveler guiding ring, there -11.'A spinning ring assembly comprising a being anannular channel'concentric with the traveler guiding annulus having a body portion -traveler guiding ring adjacent to the" junction of having cylindrical, concentric inner and outer 'the'b'ottomsurface of the traveler'guidingring surfaces and a flat bottom surface, and an anwith the outer of said cylindrical wall' elements,

nular holder of oil-impervious material having and means forsupplying lubricant to said chan- -ahorizontal upper surface on which rests the nel; the upp'eredge of said inner impervious-wall flatbottom surface of the traveler guidingannuelementbeing spaced below the upper edge of the -lus,-the outer edge of the horizontal surface of traveler guiding'ring a'distance'just sufi'icient to the holder being defined by an upstanding wall provide clearance for the traveler. whose inner surface contacts the outer cylin- ERA-spinning ring assembly comprising a drical surface of the body portion of the traveler traveler guiding ring havingabody portion'proguiding annulus,-and a liner of synthetic plastic "vided'with inner and outer concentric cylindrical which does not readily conduct oil by capillary su'r'faces and' an annular bottom surface;"spaced action. P concentric i cylindrical wall elements between A spinning ring assembly comprising a which the bo'dy portion of the traveler guidlng traveler guiding annulus having a body portion ring is arranged and whichcontact the cylindrihavin cylindrical, concentric inner and outer 'c'al inner and outer surfaces of the traveler-"guidsurfaces and a bottom surface and'an annular ing ring with anoil-tight fit,' the upper' edge of holder having a horizontal surface on which the" inn'enof said cylindrical wall" elements being rests the bottom surface of the traveler guiding spaced below the upper edgeof the"traveler giiidannulus, the holder comprising means for keep- "ing-"ring a distance ju'st'sufficient "to'provide ing the traveler guiding annulus in concentric clearance for the'traveler', andin'eans'for' supplyrelation to the holder, and a cylindrical guard, inglubricant to the travelerguiding'rlng. independent of the holder; arranged within the TY/ A spinning ring assembly comprising L a traveler guiding annulus and which is operative "travelerguidingring'of'oil absorbent type, means to. prevent contact of a broken yarn end with "for supporting the traveler'guiding ring and'for the oily inner surface of the traveler guiding "supplying lubricant to saidring'at afpoint near annulus. its outerperiphery; the ring having a cylindrical 13. A spinning ring assembly comprising a Finnersurfa'ce and 'an'annul'ar wall elementof traveler guiding annulus having a body portion "impervious material "fitting: snugly againstiathe having cylindrical, concentric inner and outer 'cylindric'alinner"surface of the traveler'gui'dlng surfaces and a unitary holder of organic material "ringf'said annularzwalli elemenvextendingv'uphaving an annular channel within which the -'Wardly' from' the'bottom'of'the traveler'iguiding body portion of the traveler guiding annular fits ring and terminating below the top of the snugly, said channel being defined by inner and wtraveleri guiding ring: a'distancejust'sufllcient to outer concentric walls, the inner of said walls extending up substantialy to the traveler guiding surface of the traveler guiding annulus and prov'ide' clearance for the traveler.

'GEORJGE'IFJALBRECHT.

constituting a shield to prevent contact of a EF RENCES-4CITED broken Y end with the Oily inner Surface of The followingreferences are'of rec'ord' in' the the traveler guiding annulus. patent:

14. A spinning ring assembly comprising a traveler guiding annulus having a body portion UNITED STATES-PATENTS having cylindrical, concentric inner and outer Number Name Date surfaces and a holder for the traveler guiding 588,120 -Rigby -Aug.. 10,1897 annulus, said holder being of an oil-impervious. 1,689,127 -Gilligan Oct. 23, 1928 a. material and having radially spaced, concentric, 1,861,249 Stuart May 31, 1932 cylindrical 'WELHS defining an :annulanchannel 2,464,151 Roatta et a1 Marc/8; 1949 

